Presently in the art of dispensing liquids and gels, it has become desirable to dispense such liquids and gels in the form of a foam. Typically, the foam is generated from combining a liquid or gel material with air in a forceful way, with the combination of air and the liquid or gel then being extruded through a screen, mesh, sponge or the like to obtain a foam of substantially uniform bubbles.
The invention herein will be discussed with regard to soap foam dispensers, in which liquid soap and air are combined as described for achieving the requisite foam. However, it will be appreciated that the concepts of the invention may be extended to the generation of foam from other liquids, gels, and the like, including those of alcohol-based sanitizers. Presently, soap foam is generated in a variety of ways, most of which require the depositing of a quantity of liquid soap in one chamber, an amount of air in another chamber, and compressing the two chambers to forcefully drive liquid and air to a foam generating head for the generation of the foam. Such activities require significant mechanical movement, typically employing a pair of pistons, one for liquid and one for air, to drive the separate quantities to the foam generating member. Typically, these dual chambered pumps are an integral portion of disposable cartridges and add significantly to the cost of such cartridges. Moreover, being of a mechanical nature, the pumps are not given to excessive use and are typically designed to have a useful life only slightly exceeding the number of dispensing cycles available from the cartridge.
Heretofore, the art has been substantially devoid of a soap foam dispenser having the economy of a permanent compressor adapted for intercommunication with replaceable cartridges to drive both the liquid and air portions necessary to generate soap foam at a foam generating head. The instant invention fills that void.